Closure with open lid retainer

• US 4,881,668 A
• Filed: 06/08/1988
• Issued: 11/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seaquist Closures Limited (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Seaquist Closures LLC (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rohr, Robert D., Kitterman, Lawrence R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beegle, Mona C.
• Application Number:
  US07/204,109
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 220/335, 220/337, 222/480, 222/482, 222/484, 222/485, 222/486, 222/545, 222/556, 222/565, 222/546, 222/517, 222/478, 222/498
• US Class Current: 222/482
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/1008 Means for locking the closure in open position
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0876 Hinges without elastic bias

Abstract

A closure is provided for use on a container that has an opening communicating with the container interior. The closure includes a body for being mounted to the container over the container opening and for defining at least a first aperture communicating through the container opening with the container interior. The body includes a peripheral side wall outwardly of the first aperture. The closure includes a cover on the body for defining at least a first lid to cover the first aperture. The closure includes a first hinge for accommodating pivoting of the first lid between a closed position occluding first aperture and an open position spaced away from the first aperture and for connecting the first lid directly to another part of the cover or the body. The first lid includes a first engaging arm for engaging the body side wall when the first lid is in the open position. Either or both the first engaging arm and body side wall are resilient whereby the first lid is held in the open position by frictional engagement between the first engaging arm and the body side wall.

Claims

1. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container over said container opening and defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture, said body including a transverse top wall defining at least said first aperture;

a cover mounted to said body over said body top wall and defining at least a first lid;

at least a first hinge means for connecting said first lid directly to another part of said cover for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture;

said first lid including a first arm at one end of said first hinge means projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

at least one of said first arm and said side wall being resilient; and

said first arm being configured to engage said body side wall when said first lid is in said open position whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first arm and said side wall.

2. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said another part of said cover includes a stationary bridge mounted to said body top wall.

3. The closure in accordance with claim 2

in which said body defines a second aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior;

in which cover defines a second lid for occluding said second aperture; and

in which said closure includes a second hinge means for connecting said second lid to said stationary bridge for pivoting between a closed position occluding said second aperture and an open position spaced away from said second aperture.

4. The closure in accordance with claim 3 in which said first and second hinge means define first and second pivot axes, respectively, and in which said first and second pivot axes are parallel.

5. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container over said container opening and defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

a cover on said body and defining at least a first lid;

at least a first hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and for connecting said first lid directly to another part of said cover;

said first lid including a first arm at one end of said first hinge means projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

at least one of said first arm and said side wall being resilient; and

said first arm being configured to engage said body said wall when said first lid is in said open position whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first arm and said side wall;

said body side wall being generally cylindrical;

said first hinge means defining a first pivot axis;

said first lid including

(1) a transverse closure wall for occluding at least said first aperture and having the shape of a segment of a circle with said first pivot axis defining the chord of said segment, and

(2) a flange that

(a) has a partially cylindrical configuration,

(b) depends from the arcuate periphery of said transverse closure wall, and

(c) extends around the arcuate periphery of said transverse closure wall from one end of said chord to the other end of said chord; and

said first arm projecting away from said first pivot axis as an extension of said partially cylindrical flange.

6. The closure in accordance with claim 5

in which said first arm defines at least a partially cylindrical, inner surface lying in a cylindrical locus;

in which the diameter of said cylindrical locus is less than the diameter of the exterior surface of said cylindrical side wall of said body; and

in which a portion of said body cylindrical side wall defines a camming surface that is located below said first arm and that increases in radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical side wall with increasing distance below said cover whereby, as said first lid is opened, said first arm inner surface engages said camming surface and said first arm is deflected outwardly by said camming surface onto the exterior surface of said side wall.

7. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container over said container opening and defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

a cover on said body and defining at least a first lid;

at least a first hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and for connecting said first lid directly to another part of said cover;

said first lid including a first arm at one end of said first hinge means projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

at least one of said first arm and said side wall being resilient; and

said first arm being configured to engage said body side wall when said first lid is in said open position whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first arm and said side wall;

said body defining a second aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior;

said cover defining a second lid; and

said first and second lids being connected together by said first hinge means to accommodate

(1) pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and

(2) pivoting of said second lid between a closed position occluding said second aperture and an open position spaced away from said second aperture.

8. The closure in accordance with claim 7

in which said first lid and said body together define a first cooperating resilient engaging means for releasably holding said first lid closed in a first interference fit;

and

in which said second lid and said body together define a second cooperating resilient engaging means for releasably holding said second lid closed in a second interference fit.

9. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container over said container opening and defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

a cover on said body and defining at least a first lid;

at least a first hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and for connecting said first lid directly to another part of said cover;

said first lid including a first arm at one end of said first hinge means projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

at least one of said first arm and said side wall being resilient; and

said first arm being configured to engage said body side wall when said first lid is in said open position whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first arm and said side wall;

said body including a transverse top wall defining said first aperture and defining a second aperture communicating through said container opening with the container interior;

said cover being mounted to said body over said body top wall;

said cover including a stationary bridge extending over said body and includes a second lid for occluding said second aperture;

said first hinge means connecting said first lid with said stationary bridge about a first pivot axis; and

said closure including a second hinge means for connecting said second lid to said stationary bridge for pivoting about a second pivot axis between a closed position occluding said second aperture and an open position spaced away from said second aperture.

10. The closure in accordance with claim 9

in which said first lid and said body together define a first cooperating resilient engaging means for releasably holding said first lid closed in a first interference fit;

and

in which said second lid and said body together define a second cooperating resilient engaging means for releasably holding said second lid closed in a second interference fit.

11. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container over said container opening, said body including a transverse top wall defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

a cover on said body and including at least a first lid, said cover further including a stationary bridge mounted to said body transverse top wall;

at least a first hinge means for connecting said first lid to said stationary bridge for pivoting between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture;

said first lid including a first arm at one end of said first hinge means projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means adjacent said stationary bridge;

at least one of said first arm and said side wall being resilient; and

said first arm being configured to engage said body side wall when said first lid is in said open position whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first arm and said side wall.

12. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

body means for being mounted to said container over said container opening and for defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body means having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

cover means on said body means for defining at least a first lid to cover said first aperture;

at least a first hinge means for connecting said first lid to another part of said cover means and for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid about an axis over said container opening between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture; and

said first lid including a first engaging means for engaging said body means side wall when said first lid is in said open position, at least one of said first engaging means and said body means side wall being resilient whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first engaging means and said body means side wall.

13. The closure in accordance with claim 12

in which said first engaging means includes a resilient first arm at one end of said first hinge means, said first arm projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

and

in which said body means peripheral side wall defines exterior ridges for being engaged by said first arm.

14. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

body means for being mounted to said container over said container opening and for defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body means having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

cover means on said body means for defining a stationary bridge and at least a first lid to cover said first aperture;

at least a first hinge means for connecting said first lid to said bridge for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture; and

said first lid including a first engaging means for engaging said body means side wall when said first lid is in said open position, at least one of said first engaging means and said body means side wall being resilient whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first engaging means and said body means side wall.

15. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

body means for being mounted to said container over said container opening and for defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body means having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

cover means on said body means for defining at least a first lid to cover said first aperture;

at least a first hinge means for connecting said first lid to another part of said cover means and for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture;

said first lid including a first engaging means for engaging said body means side wall when said first lid is in said open position, at least one of said first engaging means and said body means side wall being resilient whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first engaging means and said body means side wall;

said body means defining a second aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior;

said closure including a second hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said second lid between a closed position occluding said second aperture and an open position spaced away from said second aperture and for connecting said second lid to another part of said cover means; and

said second engaging means including a resilient second arm at one end of said second hinge means, said second arm projecting away from the rest of said second lid beyond said second hinge means.

16. The closure in accordance with claim 15

in which said cover means includes a stationary bridge;

in which said first hinge means connects said first lid to said bridge; and

in which said second hinge means connects said second lid to said bridge.

17. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

body means for being mounted to said container over said container opening and for defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body means having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture, said body means defining a resilient collar;

cover means on said body means for defining at least a first lid to cover said first aperture, said cover means including a projection for being releasably held by said collar in snap-fit engagement to hold said cover means on said body means;

at least a first hinge means for connecting said first lid to another part of said cover means and for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture; and

said first lid including a first engaging means for engaging said body means side wall when said first lid is in said open position, at least one of said first engaging means and said body means side wall being resilient whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first engaging means and said body means side wall.

18. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container over said container opening and defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

a cover on said body and defining at least a first lid;

at least a first hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and for connecting said first lid directly to said body;

said first lid including a first arm at one end of said first hinge means projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

at least one of said first arm and said side wall being resilient;

said first arm being configured to engage said body side wall when said first lid is in said open position whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first arm and said side wall;

said body side wall being generally cylindrical;

said first hinge means defining a first pivot axis;

said first lid including

(1) a transverse closure wall for occluding at least said first aperture and having the shape of a segment of a circle with said first pivot axis defining the chord of said segment, and

(2) a flange that

(a) has a partially cylindrical configuration,

(b) depends from the arcuate periphery of said transverse closure wall, and

(c) extends around the arcuate periphery of said transverse closure wall from one end of said chord to the other end of said chord; and

said first arm projecting away from said first pivot axis as an extension of said partially cylindrical flange.

19. The closure in accordance with claim 18

in which said first arm defines at least a partially cylindrical, inner surface lying in a cylindrical locus;

in which the diameter of said cylindrical locus is less than the diameter of the exterior surface of said cylindrical side wall of said body; and

in which a portion of said body cylindrical side wall defines a camming surface that is located below said first arm and that increases in radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical side wall with increasing distance below said cover whereby, as said first lid is opened, said first arm inner surface engages said camming surface and said first arm is deflected outwardly by said camming surface onto the exterior surface of said side wall.

20. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container over said container opening and defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

a cover on said body and defining at least a first lid;

at least a first hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and for connecting said first lid directly to said body;

said first lid including a first arm at one end of said first hinge means projecting away form the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

at least one of said first arm and said side wall being resilient;

said first arm being configured to engage said body side wall when said first lid is in said open position whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first arm and said side wall;

said body defining a second aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior;

said cover defining a second lid; and

said first hinge means connecting said second lid directly to said body along with said first lid about a common hinge axis to accommodate

(1) pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and

(2) pivoting of said second lid between a closed position occluding said second aperture and an open position spaced away from said second aperture.

21. The closure in accordance with claim 20

in which said first lid and said body together define a first cooperating resilient engaging means for releasably holding said first lid closed in a first interference fit;

and

in which said second lid and said body together define a second cooperating resilient engaging means for releasably holding said second lid closed in a second interference fit.

22. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

body means for being mounted to said container over said container opening and for defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body means having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

cover means on said body means for defining at least a first lid to cover said first aperture;

at least a first hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture and for connecting said first lid to said body means;

said first lid including a first engaging means for engaging said body means side wall when said first lid is in said open position, at least one of said first engaging means and said body means side wall being resilient whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first engaging means and said body means side wall;

said body means defining a second aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior;

said closure including a second hinge means for accommodating the pivoting of said second lid between a closed position occluding said second aperture and an open position spaced away from said second aperture and for connecting said second lid to said body means; and

said second engaging means including a resilient second arm at one end of said second hinge means, said second arm projecting away from the rest of said second lid beyond said second hinge means.

23. A closure for use on a container defining an opening communicating with the container interior, said closure comprising:

body means for being mounted to said container over said container opening and for defining at least a first aperture for communicating through said container opening with the container interior, said body means having a peripheral side wall outwardly of said first aperture;

cover means on said body means for defining at least a first lid to cover said first aperture;

at least a first hinge means for connecting said first lid to said body means for accommodating the pivoting of said first lid about an axis over said container opening between a closed position occluding said first aperture and an open position spaced away from said first aperture; and

said first lid including a first engaging means for engaging said body means side wall when said first lid is in said open position, at least one of said first engaging means and said body means side wall being resilient whereby said first lid is held in said open position by frictional engagement between said first engaging means and said body means side wall.

24. The closure in accordance with claim 23

in which said first engaging means includes a resilient first arm at one end of said first hinge means, said first arm projecting away from the rest of said first lid beyond said first hinge means;

and

in which said body means peripheral side wall defines exterior ridges for being engaged by said first arm.